Pros and cons of beta-cell therapies
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Pancreas transplant | Appropriate alternative to insulin for patients getting kidney transplant, failure of injectable insulin, or patients suffering from uncontrollable hyper- or hypoglycemia Increased rate of death in the first 90 days after surgery | Lifetime immunosuppression required |
| Islet cell transplant | Less invasive than pancreas transplant Less intensive immunosuppression needed than with pancreas transplant | Improvements are needed in harvesting islet cells and increasing survival of transplanted donor cells Need 2 to 4 donors per recipient Lifetime immunosuppression required |
| Bionic pancreas | No immunosuppression needed Electronic adjustment of insulin and glucagon prior to hypoglycemia without patient initiation Reduces hypoglycemia, stabilizes glucose levels | High cost of supplies and technology Not a biologic cure Needs human involvement to maintain |